Dragon Expo

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:40 pm

I just got back from DE in Va Beach, Great show! There were plenty of cool models but very few 1/18 items. I know Im a POS for not taking pics but my camera sucks. There were some really cool fighters, I didnt know how big the 1/32 jets were till I saw them with my own eyes! I still kept my eyes peeled for 1/18 though. There were a couple of guys selling the Dauntles and the Corsair for $60 and one had an Atlantic Avenger for $70...I drooled over that one for a bit but then I thought about the P40 in TRU for $45 and I decided to leave. Almost at the exit I see three boxes with 1/18 on them, I look and one is FW190 Red 3! Then BBD and Eagleston! The FW was $20 and the other two were $25 each. All three planes were on my list of stuff I missed out on. Needless to say they are sitting on my dining room table waiting to be released!

Razor17019 · Post by **Razor17019** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:31 pm

Sounds like a nice haul you made on the 1/18 planes.

Where in VA Beach? and did it start this weekend?
2 weeks ago I was near VA Beach on vacation.

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:45 pm

It was at the Viginia beach Expo Center, It was actually two shows, one was The International plastic Modelers association and the other was I think Dragon models. I didnt know about it till last night, but it started on the 6th and ended today. Great 1/6 stuff, I wish I had room and money for that type of stuff. I was wrong about one of the 1/18 planes, I said Dauntles but it was a Hellcat for $60. I think this was one of the best hauls I got so far cause they were all planes that I wanted but thought Id never get the chance to have.

WGP Klaus · Post by **WGP Klaus** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 10:10 pm

popeye357 wrote:It was at the Viginia beach Expo Center, It was actually two shows, one was The Virgina plastic Modelers association and the other was I think Dragon models. I didnt know about it till last night, but it started on the 6th and ended today. Great 1/6 stuff, I wish I had room and money for that type of stuff. I was wrong about one of the 1/18 planes, I said Dauntles but it was a Hellcat for $60. I think this was one of the best hauls I got so far cause they were all planes that I wanted but thought Id never get the chance to have.

The show was actually the IPMS Nationals

Did you manage to check that out as well as DE? if not, you missed out on some incredible models.

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:46 am

"The show was actually the IPMS Nationals

Did you manage to check that out as well as DE? if not, you missed out on some incredible models."

Sorry about that, Yes I did get into both shows and there were great models everywhere, too many to take in for such a short amount of time. The coolest one that I saw was an A-10X2 it was an A-10 with another body and three engines, maybe it was kitbashed cause I never saw anything like it, but it was awesome.

On another note, there was a company called printapart.com that can make any part or model if you have a CAD file for them. The guy gave me a website to check out, its called turbosquid.com and they have the CADs there for sale and some are free. I still dont understand how to use those files though.

kduck · Post by **kduck** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 6:00 am

popeye357 wrote:On another note, there was a company called printapart.com that can make any part or model if you have a CAD file for them. The guy gave me a website to check out, its called turbosquid.com and they have the CADs there for sale and some are free. I still dont understand how to use those files though.

Sounds like they're using a fabber. I've read about them. They use 3d files to "print" a part. They sound very interesting and useful as hell but they're way outside my budget. Actually I'm surprised that they haven't become more common as part of the cottage industry for the many different miniatures related hobbies. There is a huge market waiting to be exploited by the innovative individual with some business know-how using one of these things. There are a slew of things that action figure hobbyists of all scales have been asking for for years. With a fabber someone could theoretically make a master and then create resin casts (or even injection molds) without any sculpting skills at all. 3D models are relatively cheap and plentiful. Just consider all the possibilities for all the different scales that people collect.

***edit*** I took a look at the company website. They're using a commercial 3D printer that runs about $40,000 but the fabber 3D printers that are more aimed at home users can be had for around $3,000.
http://fabathome.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

zonetoys · Post by **zonetoys** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:48 pm

I went on Thursday and checked out the shows! I went to the "Dragon" show first and was awstruck by the 1/6 scale German Tanks! Several nice Dios in 1/6 and lotsa Dragon figures for sale! Even saw some 21st XD figures and Dragon 1/18. When I rounded the corner to check out the rest of the show I was confronted with more models than my system could handle, and went into overload! Geez........ Row after Row of modle related tuff! Aircraft, boats, military vehicles, car modles too! Lots 1:32-1:35 scale buildings and dio accessories. By 3pm I relized I was Tired, Hungry, and almost Broke (bought alot of 1/6 stuff), so I packed it in and checked out the model contest entries! What an experience!

KAGNEW · Post by **KAGNEW** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:10 am

I was there from 6th till the end
great time

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:45 pm

Nice Starfighters on your page Kag

KAGNEW · Post by **KAGNEW** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:55 pm

thanx
now doing 6 Hartmann Bf-109s for Richmond people